Please tell me about polio

[Jux]

For instance, would an adult in a wheelchair due to polio, also be in pain, suffer from exhaustion, etc. How about cognitive functioning? Anything else?

Thank you.

My grandparents both had polio (both now passed away) and were affected to differing degrees - it causes muscle wasting and polio will not effect cognitive processes at all.
My grandad was most severely affected and used a wheelchair all the time and was hoisted in and out for toilet/bed etc
My grandma was able to walk a little - in the house mostly and would use a wheelchair outside for shopping etc. She would get tired v easily and found things more and more challenging as she for older and the other ageing processes were also a factor.
My grandma had problems with swallowing (muscles in throat affected) when she was 70+ and had a tracheotomy ?sp (tube in neck to breath through).
There is a polio society which you could gain more information from.

Sorry pain - not in pain as far as I know when in wheelchair.
Pain / discomfort after mobilising a lot.
However my grandparents may have played down any symptoms, especially to us!

Post-polio syndrome ie the effects in later life arising from polio, it not a hugely well researched area but it can include pain and fatigue.

I don't think changes to cognitive function are part of it though. Have all the newer symptoms been properly evaluated for other common causes, before attribution to late effects of polio?

That is an incredibly useful link, AuntieStella.

I don't want to go into too much any detail here for fear of outing myself and a couple of others, but there seems to be a bit of competitive disability-ness going on somewhere in my life. I've kept out of it so far but someone is becoming more and more determined and someone else becoming more and more upset.

Post-polio syndrome and in fact the after effects of polio are very variable. My Dad had polio as a small child he was very active play semi-professional rugby, threw the hammer (held the all England schools under 18s record from 1957 to late 1980s). However, once he reached 60 his problems started, but are really variable so days he can barely walk up the stairs other he can walk 7 miles.